PASSENGERS on the Derry to Belfast train were forced to cross their legs after staff announced that they had locked all toilets on the train in response to a passenger smoking in one of the cubicles.
One passenger told the Andersonstown News that he was on the 10.20am train last Friday from Lanyon Place to spend the weekend in Derry and had been enjoying the journey until the train stopped in Ballymoney.
At Ballymoney a member of staff announced over the tannoy system that due to an incident of someone smoking inside one of the toilet cubicles all toilets would be locked for the remainder of the journey.
The passenger said: "The train journey is roughly two hours long and when you get to Ballymoney you still have a bit to go before you get to Derry. I was very shocked when they announced they would be locking all of the toilets. The conductor over the tannoy said: 'I will be locking the toilets and if you need to go you can thank whoever chose to go in them and have a wee smoke.'
"I can understand you cannot smoke on trains but locking all of the toilets for the rest of the trip was extreme."
The passenger continued: "An old woman next to me got up to go to the toilet and came back quickly as the doors were locked. I needed to go myself and got up to check that they were locked. I can understand not using one toilet until they cleared the smoke but punishing everyone on the train for the actions of one person isn't fair."
A spokesperson for Translink said: “Smoking and vaping are not permitted on any Translink service or property. There is ‘No Smoking/Vaping’ signage on board services, in stations and on platforms.
“Train toilets are also fitted with smoke detectors and there is a penalty of up to £1,000 for anyone convicted of smoking on a Translink service.”
